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The immune system is involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. Research on cancer and immunity has contributed to the development of several clinically successful immunotherapies. These immunotherapies often act on a single step of the cancer–immunity cycle. In recent years, the discovery of new nanomaterials has dramatically expanded the functions and potential applications of nanomaterials. In addition to acting as drug-delivery platforms, some nanomaterials can induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of cancer cells or regulate the profile and strength of the immune response as immunomodulators. Based on their versatility, nanomaterials may serve as an integrated platform for multiple drugs or therapeutic strategies, simultaneously targeting several steps of the cancer–immunity cycle to enhance the outcome of anticancer immune response. To illustrate the critical roles of nanomaterials in cancer immunotherapies based on cancer–immunity cycle, this review will comprehensively describe the crosstalk between the immune system and cancer, and the current applications of nanomaterials, including drug carriers, ICD inducers, and immunomodulators. Moreover, this review will provide a detailed discussion of the knowledge regarding developing combinational cancer immunotherapies based on the cancer–immunity cycle, hoping to maximize the efficacy of these treatments assisted by nanomaterials., Graphical abstract Nanomaterials-assisted immunotherapy restores the cancer–immunity cycle by boosting one or several steps of cancer–immunity cycle or ease of immunosuppression in tumor macroenvironment, in which nanomaterials function as drug delivery platforms, ICD nano-inducers or immunomodulators.Image 1

Objective(s): The current systematic study has reviewed the therapeutic potential of gold nanoparticles as nano radiosensitizers for cancer radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: This study was done to review nano radiosensitizers. PubMed, Ovid Medline, Science Direct, SCOPUS, ISI web of knowledge, Springer databases were searched from 2000 to September 2013 to identify appropriate studies. Any study that assessed nanoparticles, candidate of radio enhancement at radiotherapy on animals or cell lines was included by two independent reviewers. Results: Gold nanoparticles can enhance radiosenstivity of tumor cells. This effect is shown in vivo and in vitro, at kilovoltage or megavoltage energies, in 15 reviewed studies. Emphasis of studies was on gold nanoparticles. Radiosensitization of nanoparticles depend on nanoparticles’ size, type, concentration, intracellular localization, used irradiation energy and tested cell line. Conclusion: Study outcomes have showed that gold nanoparticles have been beneficial at cancer radiation therapy.

Introduction: Application of nanoparticles as radio sensitizer is a promising field to improve efficiency of radiotherapy. Methods: This study was conducted to review nano radio sensitizers. PubMed, Ovid Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, ISI web of knowledge, and Springer databases were searched from 2000 to May 2013 to identify relevant studies. Search was restricted to English language. Results: We included any study that evaluated nanoparticles, volunteer of radio enhancement at radiotherapy on animals or cell lines. Nanoparticles can increase radio sensitivity of tumor cells. This effect was shown in vivo and in vitro, at kilovltage or megavoltage energies, in 24 reviewed studies. Focus of studies was on gold nanoparticles. Radio sensitizing effects of nanoparticles depend on nanoparticles’ size, type, concentration, intracellular localization, used irradiation energy and tested cell line. Conclusion: Literature suggests potency of nanoparticles for increasing cell radio sensitivity. Reviewed results are promising and warrant future clinical trials., BioImpacts; ISSN 2228-5660